Killed by motorist who was blind in one eye
BRIDE-TO-BE Natalie Wade, 28, suffered fatal injuries when she was hit by a car driven by a partially sighted driver who had failed to declare his vision problems to the DVLA.
The accident happened as she used a pelican crossing while shopping for her wedding dress near her home in Rochford, Essex, in February 2006.
The driver, John Thorpe, 78, of Hullbridge, Essex, was due to stand trial for causing death by dangerous driving but died before the case reached court. He was blind in one eye and had poor sight in the other. Miss Wade’s family have campaigned for regular sight tests to be made compulsory for drivers.
The hairstylist’s aunt, Rev Brenda Gutberlet, 63, from Canvey Island, Essex, said: ‘My family were, and still are, devastated. We stood around her grave and we made a promise – we will not stop until we have justice for Natalie. ‘ We want the law changed so other families don’t have to go through what we have. How many more people have to die before our outdated laws on drivers’ medical fitness are changed?’